The Heartbreak in Russia’s Adoption Ban

Many facets of international adoptions are debatable, but one is not. Stopping nearly complete adoptions is cruel. To let human bonds form and then destroy them shows a level of callousness uncommon even for politicians.

When an American adoptive mother sent her child back to Russia with a note saying she was abandoning him, Russians were rightly outraged. Treating children as objects is offensive. Treating them as political pawns is no less so.

ILYA SHLYAKHTER Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 28, 2012

To the Editor:

In the event that there was any doubt, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has demonstrated that he is an extraordinarily heartless, cruel and dangerous man.

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Credit
Riikka Sormunen

Mr. Putin has unilaterally acted to ban adoptions of Russian children by Americans. In so doing, he will no doubt condemn a legion of children to be orphans.

Why is Mr. Putin cutting off his nose to spite his face, using Russian children as pawns? Because he is enraged by American efforts to crack down on Russian human rights abuses.